Just wanted to post some pics of the girls... perhaps "Christmas Ham" and "Snow Fairies" describe these shots! Enjoy!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Fret Not...
As the Lord has encouraged my heart this morning, I want to turn that encouragement back on to you, my friends and family. Now there are those of you, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!, who will be reading this...YES-YOU! BE ENCOURAGED! Some of you with whom I've spoken very recently, and I hear these words not only for myself, but for you.
"Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend (feed on, find safe pasture in) faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and He will act. He will bring forth your rigteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land." Psalm 37:3-9
I've known this passage since I was small. But today it just leapt off the page at me. In some ways it seems to answer the other Psalms that cry out "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?" Ps. 13 God tells us (graciously) what business we are to be about while we actively wait for him to act. And act He will!! "Trust, do good, befriend faithfulness, delight in Him, commit your way to him, trust, Be still, wait patiently, fret not, refrain from anger, forsake wrath..." This is quite a list of what TO do. We wait actively for God to answer. God will act. This is so encouraging to me.
Probably the piece of this that most affected me this morning was to "commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act." There are so many times when I keep looking for God to act, yet I haven't truly committed my way to him. I haven't asked for his glory to be seen. I've had selfish intentions. "You ask and do not receive , because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." James 4: 3 We are sinful people, and it's hard to truly have right motives concerning almost anything in our lives. It takes the quickening influence to pray with the mind of Christ. And in order to do that we must be before Him, waiting on Him, trusting in His omnipotent Hand. So with this now in mind, I am turning again to the Lord this morning, asking for him to help me delight and commit, and wait patiently, and trust, and refrain from anger and forsake wrath and Fret Not! Not that this is some secret formula to make God work for us. Far from it! But that our hearts would be humble before a sovereign God, recognizing that all we have and will have comes from His grace. If I can trust God to save me from His wrath and the hell I so easily deserve, then surely I can trust him for everything else, which is certainly a lesser work. God will act, be assured. I have seen it, and so have you! Praise Him for that which he has already done, in saving you, then thank Him for how he will act on your behalf, for His promises are sure!
"Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend (feed on, find safe pasture in) faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and He will act. He will bring forth your rigteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land." Psalm 37:3-9
I've known this passage since I was small. But today it just leapt off the page at me. In some ways it seems to answer the other Psalms that cry out "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?" Ps. 13 God tells us (graciously) what business we are to be about while we actively wait for him to act. And act He will!! "Trust, do good, befriend faithfulness, delight in Him, commit your way to him, trust, Be still, wait patiently, fret not, refrain from anger, forsake wrath..." This is quite a list of what TO do. We wait actively for God to answer. God will act. This is so encouraging to me.
Probably the piece of this that most affected me this morning was to "commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act." There are so many times when I keep looking for God to act, yet I haven't truly committed my way to him. I haven't asked for his glory to be seen. I've had selfish intentions. "You ask and do not receive , because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." James 4: 3 We are sinful people, and it's hard to truly have right motives concerning almost anything in our lives. It takes the quickening influence to pray with the mind of Christ. And in order to do that we must be before Him, waiting on Him, trusting in His omnipotent Hand. So with this now in mind, I am turning again to the Lord this morning, asking for him to help me delight and commit, and wait patiently, and trust, and refrain from anger and forsake wrath and Fret Not! Not that this is some secret formula to make God work for us. Far from it! But that our hearts would be humble before a sovereign God, recognizing that all we have and will have comes from His grace. If I can trust God to save me from His wrath and the hell I so easily deserve, then surely I can trust him for everything else, which is certainly a lesser work. God will act, be assured. I have seen it, and so have you! Praise Him for that which he has already done, in saving you, then thank Him for how he will act on your behalf, for His promises are sure!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Looking for Joy in Broken Cisterns
Actor Heath Ledger is dead, at age 28. I never met him, but I liked his work. I laughed like crazy at "A Knight's Tale." But I was sorely disappointed that he would do a movie like "Brokeback Mountain." He was born 6 years after me. He was a father to a little girl named Matilda Rose. He'd been complaining of sleeplessness and a racing mind. He was found with prescription sleeping pills around his dead body.
Why am I writing about this famous man's sudden death? To read the internet posts about his life, you'd think he was a victim of some terrible tragedy. He wasn't poor...quite the contrary. He wasn't terminally ill...he was in the "prime of his life." He wasn't without people who cared for him...though sorting out who a true friend is might be tricky when you're rich and famous. But Heath couldn't seem to be happy with the life he had. No peace. No lasting happiness. No joy. Heath needed Jesus Christ.
I am riveted by this story this morning because only moments before stumbling on to this Headliner story, I had been thinking of my own life and how Jesus gives everything meaning. The opposite would be no meaning. This is perhaps what gripped Heath Ledger...no meaning. A life that was not what he'd hoped for...even though it looked so glitzy from the outside. He'd perhaps gotten close to the top of what "life" had to offer him and saw the view was not beautiful. It was a rat-race. It was a sham.
So I turn to Jesus this morning, and I thank Him for saving me...from hell and from "this life" that could have been lived without meaning. And I remember that if I'm living for myself, joy will elude me. Except for the grace of God, I would be without hope. And I pray for the little fatherless girl Heath left behind, his grieving parents and sister. That God would arrest their hearts.
"My people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this: be shocked, be utterly desolate," says the Lord; "for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." Jeremiah 2:11-13
Why am I writing about this famous man's sudden death? To read the internet posts about his life, you'd think he was a victim of some terrible tragedy. He wasn't poor...quite the contrary. He wasn't terminally ill...he was in the "prime of his life." He wasn't without people who cared for him...though sorting out who a true friend is might be tricky when you're rich and famous. But Heath couldn't seem to be happy with the life he had. No peace. No lasting happiness. No joy. Heath needed Jesus Christ.
I am riveted by this story this morning because only moments before stumbling on to this Headliner story, I had been thinking of my own life and how Jesus gives everything meaning. The opposite would be no meaning. This is perhaps what gripped Heath Ledger...no meaning. A life that was not what he'd hoped for...even though it looked so glitzy from the outside. He'd perhaps gotten close to the top of what "life" had to offer him and saw the view was not beautiful. It was a rat-race. It was a sham.
So I turn to Jesus this morning, and I thank Him for saving me...from hell and from "this life" that could have been lived without meaning. And I remember that if I'm living for myself, joy will elude me. Except for the grace of God, I would be without hope. And I pray for the little fatherless girl Heath left behind, his grieving parents and sister. That God would arrest their hearts.
"My people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this: be shocked, be utterly desolate," says the Lord; "for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water." Jeremiah 2:11-13
Monday, January 21, 2008
Kara's Perfect Ears
Well, friends, the title to this entry says it all. Little Kara Faith Bunting has "perfect" hearing and in no way needs any type of ear intervention. Whatever difficulty she had with her first hearing test at the pediatrician's office was completely random...(or stubborness). The audiologist's exact words were "hearing just doesn't get any better than this!" So....I'm thinking, if insurance would pay for it, maybe all of us parents who have children who don't "hear" us (the first, second, or third time we call or give an instruction) should take them to the audiologist so we can pull the "don't tell me you didn't HEAR me...your hearing is perfect" card out of our pockets...Handy! At least ruling out this issue helps us address her heart more accurately.
But for all of us, God already has ruled out that we haven't "heard" him... He's given us His word to constantly refer back to. We are without excuse. I am so appreciating our series on the Ten Commandments or "Ten Words of Grace" at Crossway. Thanks to all of our wonderful pastors for their contributions so far: Pete, Bill, Kurt, and Doug. We are benefitting greatly! One of my favorite "take away" moments so far was when Kurt shared Doug's word about anger and murder: "Anger is restrained murder, and murder is unrestrained anger." So revealing of our hearts. May God give us grace to walk in the light of His commands.
But for all of us, God already has ruled out that we haven't "heard" him... He's given us His word to constantly refer back to. We are without excuse. I am so appreciating our series on the Ten Commandments or "Ten Words of Grace" at Crossway. Thanks to all of our wonderful pastors for their contributions so far: Pete, Bill, Kurt, and Doug. We are benefitting greatly! One of my favorite "take away" moments so far was when Kurt shared Doug's word about anger and murder: "Anger is restrained murder, and murder is unrestrained anger." So revealing of our hearts. May God give us grace to walk in the light of His commands.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Joy Unspeakable
Whew! Well I have my "scents" back. Unfortunately, I don't think I lost any pounds during my flavor-fast. Apparently my mouth still believed it was capable of enjoying the food, taste or not. Well, all is not hopeless! God is still greater than my lack of self-discipline, and I, by his grace, was able to get on the treadmill last Thursday. Exercising regularly was much easier in the years before homeschooling began, and I have been struggling to make time for it again. I used to be so disciplined and thrived on that in the past, but it probably was an idol. This has been my battle...deciding when and how much time to devote to exercise and keeping up the appearance of me. I shared this with the ladies in my Care Group a few months ago, and was encouraged that God would bless my plan to keep putting quiet time (spiritual discipline) with Him ahead of any physical workout. My mother-in-law recently encouraged me by telling me it wasn't 'til her kids were older that she was able to walk or run regularly, and that was even without homeschooling. Thanks for that, Florida Mom! So, by the grace of God, I will get back on the treadmill this week. Thanks for your prayers!
Amidst all the "coming down" from the Christmas season, something unique and unexpected happened about 10 days ago, actually, soon after I'd written my last blog. I awoke to a sense of great joy and contentment. This was strange...I have experienced the same sense at other times....but honestly, it's been probably two years since a sense this strong was given to me by the Lord. I can't really explain it, other than to say that God just blessed me that day. I was completely hopeful, free of fear or anxiety, and I wanted to shout it from a mountain top that God is More than Enough!! I wanted to throw caution to the wind, get down on the floor and play with my girls, stand on the corner and preach....anything to show the love God had placed within me. So I walked through the day looking for ways to "spill over" onto others what God had poured into me. I wish I could say I felt and acted that way every day, but the truth is I don't. My husband and I talked alot about the joy that we all seek, but often find elusive. Why can't we seem to gain it? Or maybe we feel something sporadically, only to see it slip away. Is it our sin building a wall we can't (or won't) tear down? Are some forms of joy only meant to give us a taste of heaven so we can know what awaits us some day? That's really what I thought that day. But, I've been noticing that each day since then, I've continued to reach toward God when I feel a discontent/complaining spirit trying to creep in, and I've been focusing on being thankful for my salvation, for all of my life...and I'd have to say something is ...different. It almost seems as though some huge group of friends/family banded together and prayed for me that day...that I'd find "joy unspeakable and filled with glory."
Along with that, to my great shock and amazement, I've also noticed that I finally have full contentment about living here in Lancaster. Some of you may not have known how I've struggled with this. Others may be disappointed! Weird, weird, weird...because we had just gotten back from Butler, where we still have close friends and family, and had a good visit. If anything, I usually leave there feeling torn. But God answered my two and a half-year request to help me see this as "home." I am actually considering hanging a few pictures in my house! Who knows, maybe I'll even buy some address labels! (This may sound funny...but it is completely true, I have not hung pictures or gotten address labels because I really felt like it would just be a waste of money for all the longer we would live here.) I don't know if this is somehow tied to the "great joy" God also deposited in me, but it's possible. Suffice it to say, I've had a lot to mull over these last two weeks. And I am thankful. God is so good to me. I know tomorrow I may be tempted to doubt that, but I will hopefully assert the truth when my heart may fail at feeling it...God is faithful.
I'll close with this quote from William Wilberforce:
"The common denominator among those possessing authentic faith is the determination to devote themselves to the service and glory of God. The other common denominator is an awareness of how inadequate they are to achieve this goal without grace and empowerment."
Amidst all the "coming down" from the Christmas season, something unique and unexpected happened about 10 days ago, actually, soon after I'd written my last blog. I awoke to a sense of great joy and contentment. This was strange...I have experienced the same sense at other times....but honestly, it's been probably two years since a sense this strong was given to me by the Lord. I can't really explain it, other than to say that God just blessed me that day. I was completely hopeful, free of fear or anxiety, and I wanted to shout it from a mountain top that God is More than Enough!! I wanted to throw caution to the wind, get down on the floor and play with my girls, stand on the corner and preach....anything to show the love God had placed within me. So I walked through the day looking for ways to "spill over" onto others what God had poured into me. I wish I could say I felt and acted that way every day, but the truth is I don't. My husband and I talked alot about the joy that we all seek, but often find elusive. Why can't we seem to gain it? Or maybe we feel something sporadically, only to see it slip away. Is it our sin building a wall we can't (or won't) tear down? Are some forms of joy only meant to give us a taste of heaven so we can know what awaits us some day? That's really what I thought that day. But, I've been noticing that each day since then, I've continued to reach toward God when I feel a discontent/complaining spirit trying to creep in, and I've been focusing on being thankful for my salvation, for all of my life...and I'd have to say something is ...different. It almost seems as though some huge group of friends/family banded together and prayed for me that day...that I'd find "joy unspeakable and filled with glory."
Along with that, to my great shock and amazement, I've also noticed that I finally have full contentment about living here in Lancaster. Some of you may not have known how I've struggled with this. Others may be disappointed! Weird, weird, weird...because we had just gotten back from Butler, where we still have close friends and family, and had a good visit. If anything, I usually leave there feeling torn. But God answered my two and a half-year request to help me see this as "home." I am actually considering hanging a few pictures in my house! Who knows, maybe I'll even buy some address labels! (This may sound funny...but it is completely true, I have not hung pictures or gotten address labels because I really felt like it would just be a waste of money for all the longer we would live here.) I don't know if this is somehow tied to the "great joy" God also deposited in me, but it's possible. Suffice it to say, I've had a lot to mull over these last two weeks. And I am thankful. God is so good to me. I know tomorrow I may be tempted to doubt that, but I will hopefully assert the truth when my heart may fail at feeling it...God is faithful.
I'll close with this quote from William Wilberforce:
"The common denominator among those possessing authentic faith is the determination to devote themselves to the service and glory of God. The other common denominator is an awareness of how inadequate they are to achieve this goal without grace and empowerment."
Thursday, January 3, 2008
I've Lost my Scents
Yes, it's true! I've rung in the New Year by losing all my scents....and no, I did not make a spelling error! My sense of scent and taste have gone packing for a few days...actually since New Year's Eve. I have such a severe cold that not even a crockpot full of sauerkraut and Kielbasa on New Year's Day could penetrate my poor stuffed up nose. Maybe that's not such a bad thing? Well, anyway, this would probably be a great time to lose a few pounds, since I can't really taste anything anyway. Why eat? I miss these two senses very much. And it's made me think of many things....all I take for granted, all I am truly dependent on the Lord for....the list goes on.
I knew a lady once who had been sick and never regained her sense of taste (or smell, I guess). I felt so sorry for her. Think of all the ways these two senses serve us. Just in safety alone...if we smell something burning, if we smell a poisonous leak of gas, if we smell a dirty diaper...you get the picture. Then there's the food category...smelling "bad" food and quickly disposing of it, smelling good food that tantalizes our appetite. Smelling our... selves...in case we're in need of some refreshing scents or a breath mint! Yes, God has definitely enriched our lives with the senses He gave.
But there is something bigger at stake with our desire to taste and enjoy or to smell and be warned of danger. You know what I'm getting at, don't you? "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good." Our desire to taste of the Lord is truly a gift. If we truly are depraved, which we are, then we don't even have the ability to want God on our own. He must give us the "taste" for Him that we so desperately need. Our Christmas Musical touched on this just weeks ago....that we need to be "salty" to give lost people a little "flavor for the Lord." God opens up our spiritual olfactory lobe (ok biology people, give me feedback) to allow us to desire, or have an appetite for him. In just a few days I've noticed how little appetite I have since I can't smell anything. I almost feel blocked inside my own little world. All these people around me are hungry and eating and enjoying food...and I just can't participate like them because my two senses are blocked off. This is what's happening all around us, friends! Lost people are seeing us align our lives around something they don't yet have a taste for--God, His Word, and His people. Oh, that God would now open our eyes too, that we might ask Him to use us to help awaken an appetite for God's truth in lost people!
So this year, be thankful for your senses...both your physical senses and your spiritual...especially your spiritual. Thank God for awakening you to Him and giving you eyes to see, ears to hear, a mouth to taste of Him, hands to grip Him and reach out to others. Pray that God would use you to give others a taste for Him. Ask God to help you live in such a way that He would be seen as the supremely desirable person that He is. And live humbly before Him, that He might show grace to you as you seek Him more fully.
I'll keep you posted as to when my "scents" return!
I knew a lady once who had been sick and never regained her sense of taste (or smell, I guess). I felt so sorry for her. Think of all the ways these two senses serve us. Just in safety alone...if we smell something burning, if we smell a poisonous leak of gas, if we smell a dirty diaper...you get the picture. Then there's the food category...smelling "bad" food and quickly disposing of it, smelling good food that tantalizes our appetite. Smelling our... selves...in case we're in need of some refreshing scents or a breath mint! Yes, God has definitely enriched our lives with the senses He gave.
But there is something bigger at stake with our desire to taste and enjoy or to smell and be warned of danger. You know what I'm getting at, don't you? "Oh taste and see that the Lord is good." Our desire to taste of the Lord is truly a gift. If we truly are depraved, which we are, then we don't even have the ability to want God on our own. He must give us the "taste" for Him that we so desperately need. Our Christmas Musical touched on this just weeks ago....that we need to be "salty" to give lost people a little "flavor for the Lord." God opens up our spiritual olfactory lobe (ok biology people, give me feedback) to allow us to desire, or have an appetite for him. In just a few days I've noticed how little appetite I have since I can't smell anything. I almost feel blocked inside my own little world. All these people around me are hungry and eating and enjoying food...and I just can't participate like them because my two senses are blocked off. This is what's happening all around us, friends! Lost people are seeing us align our lives around something they don't yet have a taste for--God, His Word, and His people. Oh, that God would now open our eyes too, that we might ask Him to use us to help awaken an appetite for God's truth in lost people!
So this year, be thankful for your senses...both your physical senses and your spiritual...especially your spiritual. Thank God for awakening you to Him and giving you eyes to see, ears to hear, a mouth to taste of Him, hands to grip Him and reach out to others. Pray that God would use you to give others a taste for Him. Ask God to help you live in such a way that He would be seen as the supremely desirable person that He is. And live humbly before Him, that He might show grace to you as you seek Him more fully.
I'll keep you posted as to when my "scents" return!
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